People

Apart from his date with destiny and
Lady Butler-Sloss at the high court yesterday,
Mohamed Al Fayed also found time to come among ordinary people: in his case, a 30-strong delegation from the factory which the Burberry company is planning to close in Treorchy, in order that it can produce its upmarket polo shirts more cheaply in China. The owner of Harrods met them outside the court, where he was otherwise engaged, and later gave them lunch at his west London emporium. He is said to be considering placing an order with them, though in that case they'd probably need a factory. It is the kind of selfless, publicity-shy gesture that tycoons like to make from time to time -
Robert Maxwell used to be keen on workers' cooperatives, except in his own companies of course - so let's hope a new Burberry pattern emerges soon.

There may only be another 608 days to go but political slanging season for next year's US presidential election has already got under way. At the weekend the blonde-haired rightwing polemicist Ann Coulter - whose books include Slander: Liberal Lies about America - got into trouble for describing John Edwards, one of the possible Democratic party candidates, as a faggot. It is the kind of sophisticated discourse that goes down well in certain circles, but her remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference have been disowned by all three leading Republican candidates, who described them as inappropriate and offensive. Ms Coulter, who does not have to trawl for votes, only book sales, described it as a joke: "I would never insult gays by suggesting they are like John Edwards." Perhaps it was all in the way she told it.

Dame Helen Mirren, fresh back from the Oscars - "I don't eat burgers regularly. I don't think people should" - is one of the few actresses not taking part in a series of public masterclasses over the next few months at the Actors Centre in the Tristan Bates theatre in Tower Street, central London. Although the centre has held classes before they have previously only been for members. Julie Walters kicks off next Monday, with Prunella Scales, Penelope Keith, Juliet Stevenson and Maureen Lipman to come. Also giving classes - described as the perfect pre-show or post-work date - will be Jeremy Irons, Paul Nicholas plus Robert Lindsay, presumably on a night when he's not playing Archie Rice.

In a possible clue to Tony Blair's planned leaving date, the Tate's US fund-raising arm is offering wealthy donors a drinks reception chez Blair, at 10 Downing Street, on June 16. So they still plan to be there then. To qualify for an invitation supporters have to have spent $25,000 (£13,000) booking half a table for a gala dinner in New York the previous month. So far 30 tables have been reserved. Don't all rush.